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Jeter takes first swings since ankle setback

Jeter takes first swings since ankle setback

5/29/13: Yankees captain Derek Jeter talks about his injury, his rehabilitation and his desire to get back on the field

By Bryan Hoch
/
MLB.com |

Yankees captain Derek Jeter is increasing his on-field activity at the club's training complex in Tampa, Fla., fielding ground balls hit directly at him as well as swinging a bat.

Jeter resumed playing catch on the field at Yankee Stadium during the team's last homestand, the first time he has been able to do so since a new fracture was diagnosed in his left ankle back in April.

Jeter is scheduled to be seen this week in Charlotte, N.C., by Dr. Robert Anderson, who performed the initial surgery after his ankle was broken in last year's American League Championship Series. Anderson is expected to examine a new CT scan of Jeter's ankle as part of the visit.

The 13-time All-Star will turn 39 later this month, and the Yankees have only provided a vague timeline for his return, saying that it is projected to come after the All-Star break.

Jeter, who suffered the new injury while aiming to be in the Yankees' Opening Day lineup, has said that this season has been his most frustrating in the big leagues and declined to discuss when he believes he will be ready to return to active duty.

"As soon as possible. That's it," Jeter said recently. "I'm not going to put a date on it. The last time I put a date on it, it didn't work. As soon as I can play, I'll play."

While Monday's progress is a good sign for Jeter, he has not yet been cleared to run, and manager Joe Girardi said during the club's series in Seattle that rehabbing infielder Alex Rodriguez is ahead of Jeter in terms of moving closer to a projected return date.

Jeter said last week that he did not believe swinging a bat would be a problem, and he is hopeful this week's visit to Dr. Anderson will permit him to begin running, as well as continuing to ramp up his workouts.

"It's day to day, really," Jeter said. "I've got to stay away from impact. I can't jump, I can't run until I get final clearance."

Also on Monday, injured shortstop Eduardo Nunez (oblique) took ground balls on the outfield grass and outfielder Curtis Granderson (broken left hand) threw and ran in the outfield, according to The Associated Press.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.